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United Kingdom private equity investor Actis has agreed the sale of BTE Renewables to two French businesses, utility Engie and asset manager Meridiam, for $1bn. The deal covers a portfolio of almost 500MW of solar photvoltaic and wind power capacity in South Africa and Kenya.

The Cygnum Capital-managed Facility for Energy Inclusion has advanced a $30m loan to Equator Energy to help the Nairobi-headquartered C&I developer grow its business across Africa.

After years of delay, the Kenyan government’s lifting of a moratorium on independent power projects has allowed companies and financiers to make progress on three 35MW geothermal projects at Menengai, where local Sosian Energy has reached early commissioning, Globeleq is poised to start construction work and Symbion Power expects to follow later in 2023, writes Jon Marks in Nairobi.

The 40MW Kesses solar PV plant has started operating, the project’s funders and Spanish project developer Alten Energías Renovables Group announced on 21 June.  

Kenyan President William Ruto visited his Djiboutian counterpart Ismail Guelleh on 11 June, signing four MoUs. One MoU was for the proposed Hanle Garabbayyis geothermal development.

The German government-supported Clean Energy and Energy Inclusion for Africa (CEI Africa) fund said on 2 June it had awarded $7.3m in grants to three solar PV mini-grid developers for projects in Kenya.

TotalEnergies and Africa Oil Corporation’s 23 May withdrawal from the Tullow-operated South Lokichar development is a blow to Kenya’s faltering attempts to develop its hydrocarbons sector and attests to brighter prospects elsewhere in Africa.

Starsight Premier Energy Group (Speg) has commissioned a 3MWp rooftop solar PV plant for timber firm Timsales Ltd in Elburgon, Nakuru County, Kenya.

Milele Energy has completed the purchase of a 25.25% stake in the 310MW Lake Turkana Wind Project (LTWP) in Marsabit County, in a major step forward for the Nairobi-headquartered company.

Kenya’s first green ammonia (GNH3) project is set to enter the prefeasibility stage soon, African Energy's 17-18 April AIX: Energy in Transition 2023 event was told.

Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is seeking bids from consultants for a six-month feasibility study on the Paka geothermal field, part of the larger Baringo-Silali exploration block which also includes the Korosi and Silali fields.

One of the most familiar – and well liked – faces on the African power development scene over many years of significant achievement coupled with good humour in the face of adversity, Bob Chestnutt has died after a sudden illness.

Kenya’s first independent power transmission (IPT) projects – the 165km 400kV line from Lessos to Loosuk and the 72km 220kV line from Kisumu to Musaga – are expected to reach financial close by end-2023, with construction to start thereafter, according to project sources.

Climate Finance Partnership (CFP), an investment vehicle run by giant United States fund manager BlackRock, is making its first investment in Africa with a large minority stake in the 310MW Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project in Marsabit County, northern Kenya.

 London-listed Tullow Oil reported a rise in revenues and profits in its full-year results issued in early March and sought to focus attention on its prospects in Ghana and Kenya instead of its high levels of debt and ongoing litigation issues. African Energy takes a closer look at Tullow’s prospects for 2023 and beyond.